County resources
Utilities, schools, property records, homestead filing and more for new and soon-to-be homeowners in Gainesville, Flowery Branch, Oakwood, Lula.
Good to know: utility providers and school zones can depend on your exact address — always confirm with the provider. Information is provided as a convenience and may change; let us know if you spot something out of date.
In Hall County the Board of Tax Assessors sets your value, the Tax Commissioner mails and collects the bill, and the Clerk of Court records your deed. All three are in Gainesville, and the first two share the Government Center on Browns Bridge Road.
Sets property values at fair market value, and you're taxed on 40% of that. If you disagree, appeal the value (not the tax) within 45 days of your assessment notice. Open M–F 8–5.
Step-by-step guide to filing a homestead application, real property return or change of address in qPublic. Boat, watercraft and aircraft returns filed after April 1 get a 10% late penalty.
Free lookup of owner, assessed value, sales and parcel maps. The county updates the data weekly, and it's also where you file a homestead online.
Collects property taxes and runs the tag office. Open M–F 8–5, with the last appointment or walk-in at 4:45, or text 833-602-8497 for help.
Bills mail around October 15 and are due 60 days later (December 15 per the office). Partial payments are accepted until the due date without penalty. Bills go to the owner, not the mortgage company, so forward yours to your lender if it pays from escrow.
Records deeds, liens and plats, and offers e-filing and PT-61 e-filing for real estate.
Land records back to 1819, plus plats and liens. You'll need a copy of your recorded deed and plat for most Hall County building permits.
Free alerts when a document is filed under your name or property in a Georgia Clerk's office. The Hall Clerk recommends signing up.
File once with the Hall County Tax Assessors after you move in. Only the regular homestead can be filed online; senior and disability exemptions must be filed in person. Hall County lets you file up to the end of the 45-day appeal window after assessment notices go out, which is later than the statewide April 1 date.
Hall County government opted out of statewide HB 581 and uses its own 3% annual cap on assessment increases (HB 1268, base year 2023). The school district has its own 3% cap (HB 1270) and, per this page, did not opt out of HB 581. The caps apply automatically to homesteads, reset when you buy, and don't cover bond millage.
Lists every exemption with its rules. You must reapply if you move, and exemptions don't transfer to a new owner. Gainesville and the other cities do not give the regular homestead credit on city taxes.
Age 62 or 65 with income limits: an extra $30,000 off the school portion. Age 70 by January 1: total school-tax exemption with no income limit, but you must bring proof of age in person.
Disabled veterans need a VA letter showing 100% service-connected disability; the exemption reduces taxable value by $126,526. Disabled persons need a physician's certificate and household income of $25,000 or less.
State summary of Hall's tax calendar and the appeal, refund and vehicle rules. It gives the statewide April 1 homestead date, but Hall's own offices accept filings through the 45-day appeal window.
Explains Georgia's statewide homestead exemptions and who qualifies.
Official explanation of how the statewide floating (inflation-capped) homestead exemption works.
Gainesville's Department of Water Resources supplies water to almost all of Hall County, including unincorporated areas, Oakwood and Clermont. Flowery Branch, Lula, Buford and Braselton run their own systems in parts of their areas. Sewer is patchy: most rural homes are on septic, and Gainesville bills Hall County, Oakwood and some Flowery Branch sewer customers.
Water for most Hall County homes. Open M–F 8–5, and you can pay by phone 24/7. Bills are due within 20 days, and Gainesville's wastewater rates don't apply to customers in unincorporated Hall, Braselton, Flowery Branch or Oakwood. Water emergencies at night, on weekends and on holidays: 770-535-6877.
Online form for opening a new account or buying a meter. Current customers who are moving use the Transfer of Service form instead.
Explains who provides water and sewer by area. Inside Gainesville city limits, residential water and sewer service automatically includes garbage pickup, and you can't opt out.
County sewer serves limited districts, mainly in south Hall (Spout Springs) and along growth corridors. Check the sewer district map or request an availability letter. Sewer emergencies after hours: 770-536-8812.
You must apply in person at City Hall (M–F 8–4:30), and calling first is recommended because some Flowery Branch addresses get Gainesville water. Bills are due the 20th with a 10% late fee, and unpaid accounts are cut off the 1st.
After hours, call the Public Works foreman first and the director at 770-561-9119 second. First check that your account isn't past due, since shutoffs aren't restored until the next business day.
Lula runs its own water and sewer system. Set up service through City Hall (M–F 8–5).
Serves Buford, including the part that's in Hall County. Homeowners send a photo ID and the purchase agreement, and a $235 deposit goes on the first bill. Allow 2 working days for turn-on.
Water and sewer for the Braselton area, which spans Hall, Jackson, Gwinnett and Barrow. For billing and service requests use ext. 1010; for water/sewer field issues call (678) 283-0437.
Many homes in rural north, east and west Hall use septic tanks and some use private wells. Hall County Environmental Health, part of Georgia Public Health District 2, handles septic and well permits and records. Order the septic record before you buy.
To get a septic record, email the property address; it can take up to 3 business days. If the property is on septic, Environmental Health must review most building permits first. Open M–F 8–5, and applications are taken until 4:30.
Has the well permit application and requirements, state water well rules, and guides for disinfecting a well and protecting the wellhead.
For a basic well-water test, bring 4 oz of first-draw morning water; it costs $22. Soil tests are $8. Results take about 10–12 days.
State lists of certified septic installers, pumpers and soil classifiers, plus septic system rules.
Hall County has four electric providers, and which one you have depends on your exact address, not your city. Georgia Power and Jackson EMC serve most of the county, Sawnee EMC serves parts of west and south Hall, and Habersham EMC serves rural north Hall. Look at the meter or ask the seller.
One of Gainesville's two electric providers and widespread in the county. Its meters say "Southern Company."
Member-owned co-op serving 10 counties, including Hall. Main line: 1-800-462-3691.
Serves parts of 7 counties, including Hall (see its Service Area page). For same-day service, call during business hours. Prepaid metering with no deposit is available.
Co-op serving rural Habersham, Hall, White, Stephens, Rabun and Lumpkin counties. Report outages at (800) 640-6812. Traditional accounts require a credit check.
City-owned electric (a MEAG Power member) for parts of the Buford service area. After hours call (770) 932-7986.
Gainesville and Oakwood are served by Liberty Utilities, a regulated gas company where you don't pick a marketer. Much of the rest of Hall, including the Flowery Branch area, is on Atlanta Gas Light pipes, where you choose a certified marketer. Buford runs its own city gas system, which reaches into Hall.
Liberty's Gainesville center has a walk-in counter for paying bills and talking to staff. The City of Gainesville lists Liberty's customer service at 1-855-216-6305.
Owns the gas lines in AGL areas. Call about leaks or a gas odor, but set up your account and billing with a certified marketer.
The official list of marketers you can pick from if your address is on Atlanta Gas Light.
City-owned gas serving 46,000+ customers in parts of Gwinnett, Hall, Barrow, Jackson and Walton. For a leak after hours, call (770) 932-7986 or 911.
Unincorporated Hall County has no county curbside pickup. You can haul to 12 free county compactor sites or hire a private hauler. Gainesville, Oakwood, Flowery Branch and Buford provide or contract pickup inside city limits.
Free drop-off for bagged household trash and common recyclables, for Hall residents only. Open Mon–Sat 7:30am–6:30pm and Sun 11am–6pm. Shingles go to the landfill only.
Open M–F 8–4 and Sat 8–2. The minimum fee is $20 for up to 665 lbs, then $60/ton; mattresses are $10 each. No yard debris, hazardous waste or boats, and only waste generated in Hall County is accepted.
Main county recycling drop-off, open M–F 7:30am–4pm. The page also lists every compactor site that takes recycling.
Weekly curbside garbage and recycling inside city limits, billed on your city water bill. Look up your pickup day on the page. Some subdivisions (e.g., Cresswind) don't have city sanitation.
The city provides trash and recycling carts and has charged for service since February 2024. A senior and reduced-income rate is available, and some streets just outside city limits can also sign up.
Flowery Branch offers residents trash and recycling through Red Oak. The city's Public Works page lists 770-536-7868, while Red Oak's own site and the city's new-resident list show this number.
Free curbside brush pickup every Monday; put it out by 8am. Limbs must be under 4 ft long and 6 in thick, and contractors must haul their own debris.
City garbage pickup on a set day by area, plus curbside yard waste and limbs. Leaves are vacuumed Nov 1–Mar 31.
Cable and fiber are common in Gainesville, Oakwood and the south Hall growth corridor. Rural north and east Hall still has gaps, so check the exact address on the FCC map before you buy.
Enter the exact address to see which providers report service there and at what speeds.
The state's address-level map of served and unserved locations.
Spectrum's announcement of new fiber service to more than 1,100 previously unserved rural Hall County homes and businesses. Check your own address at spectrum.com.
Xfinity's local page for Gainesville, GA. Availability varies by street.
Hall has two public school districts. Gainesville City Schools serves addresses inside the Gainesville city school district, and Hall County Schools serves the rest of the county. Both register students online, so check the zone map for the exact address first.
There are five steps: gather documents, register online, confirm your zoned school, then book an online appointment with that school. You must enroll at your zoned school unless a transfer is approved.
Look up the assigned schools for any address in the Hall County School District.
Checklist of documents for registration, including proof of residency and immunization records.
All registration is centralized and online, not at individual schools; for help call ext. 5138. City residents get priority for seats.
Shows whether an address is in the Gainesville City district and which school it's zoned for.
For unincorporated Hall, start with Hall County Planning & Development. Each city (Gainesville, Flowery Branch, Oakwood, Buford, Braselton, Clermont, Lula, Gillsville) issues its own permits. Any dock, path or tree work on Lake Lanier's federal shoreline needs a separate Army Corps permit.
Handles rezoning, variances, plat review (3–4 weeks) and zoning checks, with all applications through Accela. The Planning Commission was reinstated effective Nov 1, 2026.
Residential permits need a recorded plat, deed, site plan, and septic documents if on septic. Applications idle for 30 days are withdrawn. Schedule inspections in Accela.
Permits are required for additions, decks, roof replacement, water heaters and HVAC, pools, and finished basements involving trade work. Painting and flooring don't need one.
Phone list for each city's inspection office, e.g., Gainesville 770-531-6570, Flowery Branch 770-967-6371, Oakwood 770-534-2365, Lula 770-869-3801, Clermont 770-983-7568.
Handles junk and outdoor storage, untagged vehicles, signs, building without a permit, and home business licenses. Yard sales are limited to 4 a year. It doesn't enforce HOA rules.
Handles rezoning, annexation, variances and zoning letters inside Gainesville.
Permits are needed for fences, roofing, decks, sheds, window and door replacement, solar and more. The city adopted the 2024 ICC codes effective Jan 1, 2026.
City rules include bagged garbage in city carts and no yard parking, with a maximum of 4 cars on hard surfaces in front yards.
Zoning, building permits and inspections inside Flowery Branch, through the city's Civic Access online portal. Open M–F 8–4:30.
All Oakwood permits go through Accela. Request inspections by 3pm for the next day.
Rezoning and special-use hearings for the City of Buford.
Permits, forms and town business for Clermont in north Hall. Council meets the 1st Tuesday at 6pm.
Corps land surrounds the lake, so docks, riprap, mowing or clearing, and tree removal need a Corps permit. Docks are capped lake-wide, and a new or replacement dock starts with an on-site meeting with your area ranger.
Call 911 for emergencies. The Hall County Sheriff patrols unincorporated areas, and Gainesville, Flowery Branch and Oakwood have their own police departments. For non-emergencies anywhere in the county, Hall County 911 dispatch answers 770-536-8812 around the clock.
Law enforcement for unincorporated Hall, plus the jail and civil process. The North Precinct is in Clermont (770-533-7200) and the South Precinct is in Flowery Branch (770-533-7704).
24/7 non-emergency line. Outdoor warning sirens are tested silently every morning at 10am.
County fire and EMS. Offers smoke and CO alarm installation requests and fire safety information.
Request online before burning yard debris. No burn permits are issued May 1–Sept 30.
City police for Gainesville city limits.
24-hour city police that also handles Flowery Branch code enforcement. Office open M–F 8–4:30; after hours call 770-536-8812.
24/7 city police for Oakwood city limits.
Official statewide search by name or address.
Most county offices are at the Hall County Government Center, 2875 Browns Bridge Road. Register your vehicle within 30 days, and switch your license and voter registration after you move.
Handles titles, tags and renewals by appointment or walk-in. Self-service renewal kiosks are at local Krogers, including Mundy Mill Kroger in Oakwood.
Driver's licenses and IDs. Open Tue–Fri 8am–6pm and Sat 8am–noon, closed Sun–Mon. Fill out the online license form before you go.
Register or update your address and check early-voting sites and absentee rules.
Check your registration, precinct and sample ballot.
Six branches, including Gainesville, Spout Springs (Flowery Branch), Blackshear Place, Murrayville and East Hall. Apply for a PINES card online and pick it up at a branch.
County parks, community centers, sports programs and Lake Lanier boat ramps.
Several Corps day-use parks are now run jointly with Hall County. Some require a USACE annual pass, and shelters are reserved on Recreation.gov.
Adoptions Tue–Sat 9–4, and intakes are by appointment. Report bites or dangerous animals at 770-531-6830 (after hours 770-536-8812). Pets must have a yearly rabies shot.
Lawn, garden and pest advice, soil and water testing, and 4-H. Soil sample drop-off is available after hours.
Book on-demand WeGo rides in the app or by phone. A free seasonal Gainesville Trolley also runs.
Assigns addresses for all of Hall County, including the cities. Email a site plan or plat to request a new address.
Flood risk in Hall is mostly along creeks and the Chattahoochee and Chestatee river arms of Lake Lanier. Check the FEMA map and the county GIS flood layer for any parcel, and ask for an elevation certificate if it's near water.
Official flood maps (FIRMs). Search by address to see if a property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area.
Georgia DNR's easy-to-use viewer for FEMA flood zones statewide.
County map with parcels, zoning, flood zones, and water and sewer lines. Turn on layers with the Layer List button.
Flood insurance basics and how to find a policy. Standard homeowners policies don't cover flooding.
Use our under-contract checklist, find trusted local pros, or ask your agent anything.